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Walt Disney World Announces Summer 2016 Grand Opening Line-Up

The Walt Disney World resort has made a formal announcement detailing the entertainment and attraction Grand Openings for the Summer 2016.

Although several dates were already internally announced, the full line-up has now been publicly confirmed with exact dates:

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom will debut several exciting new guest offerings starting Friday, May 27. The Tree of Life will begin its nighttime awakenings after the sun goes down each evening. But as the sun sets the fun will heat up on Discovery Island, where two new parties – Harambe Wildlife Parti and Discovery Island Carnivale – will add fun, music and entertainment to the night. And the park will also begin extending its operating hours into the evening to allow guests to experience their favorite Disney’s Animal Kingdom attractions, like Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest, in a whole new light. Two new F&B locations, Tiffins restaurant and Nomad Lounge, will also open their doors for business. (Make your attraction plans now in the My Disney Experience App. Reservations for Tiffins will open Saturday, May 21).

On Saturday, May 28, Disney’s Animal Kingdom will debut the new “The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic” water show, which will retell the tale of Baloo and Mowgli on Discovery River each night. FastPass+ will be available for the show and can be booked through the My Disney Experience app starting Saturday, May 21.

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And even more summer fun is on the way to the Walt Disney World Resort in June. Magic Kingdom Park will debut a brand-new stage show called “Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire” on June 17. In it, Mickey and his band of Merry Makers are preparing to host a joyous festival and bring friends Tiana, Naveen and Louis (from “Princess and the Frog”); Rapunzel and Flynn (from “Tangled”); and Olaf, Anna and Elsa (from “Frozen”); to the Castle Forecourt Stage to join in on the celebration.

On June 17, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will make theme park history when it launches the most elaborate nighttime spectacular the park has ever seen with the new “Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular” fireworks show. This new nightly show will combine fireworks and pyrotechnics with video projections that will turn the surrounding buildings into familiar Star Wars destinations. The show will end with a tower of fire and spotlight beams that create massive lightsabers in the sky. Showtimes will appear in the My Disney Experience app as soon as they are available.

And don’t forget, beginning Memorial Day weekend, even more guests will be able to experience Toy Story Mania with the addition of a third track.

Epcot will welcome Soarin’ Around the World on June 17. A new version of the popular attraction located in The Land pavilion will debut to take guests on a journey to far-flung lands, over some of the world’s most unique natural landscapes and man-made wonders. Guests can begin reserving this FastPass+ attraction in the My Disney Experience app beginning Saturday, May 21. New “Frozen” experiences will open their doors on June 21, including Frozen Ever After, the first attraction inspired by the film, as well as Royal Sommerhus, an Anna and Elsa greeting area.

FastPass+ will be available for Frozen Ever After. Guests can begin booking FastPass+ for this experience on Saturday, May 21.

We are Going to miss the Frozen Opening by a few days, but we just got fast pass for old Soarin over California Movie 6/15, Fast Pass for new Soarin Around the World Movie on 6/17, and fast Pass the Jungle Book Alive with Magic. We will also get to see the New Star Wars Fireworks show.

Not looking forward to all the construction walls but definitely looking forward to all the new attractions that are opening this summer!!

I find it very difficult to believe the show won't continue - it's been a major undertaking to build seating and install all this technology. It seems to be something they plan to run for a long time - at least I hope so. I'm wondering how long "Jungle Book" will be the theme and when the originally planned River Of Lights show will take over!

Thanks for this info.! Just wondering if AK's Jungle Book Alive/River of Lights show will continue after the summer? On the Disney World site, it isn't shown after Labor Day

Originally Posted by ThanxForNoticin

I find it very difficult to believe the show won't continue - it's been a major undertaking to build seating and install all this technology. It seems to be something they plan to run for a long time - at least I hope so. I'm wondering how long "Jungle Book" will be the theme and when the originally planned River Of Lights show will take over!

Rivers of Light was announced to debut after the "Summer" run of The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic.

It appears the debut of Rivers of Light will be announced (again) later this Summer.

Since the Summer rush was missed, it appears the Thanksgiving or Christmas Crowds would be the next key time to hit; but I am sure many of the Fall visitors (myself included) are hoping for a debut shortly after Labor Day.

I think what turns me off about the Jungle Book show is that it's well, the Jungle Book. I don't have anything really against the Jungle Book, but for a big 'nighttime spectacular' as this is being billed, I prefer something a little more broad (which I'm sure Rivers of Light will be.)